May 2, 2025
Hello, SRVUSD Community and Staff,
We are in the home stretch of the 2025-26 school year, and I'm excited to see all our students reach their end-of-year milestones. It is especially exciting for our Seniors as they complete their SRVUSD experience and embark on their college and career journeys. As we approach these special moments, it’s a wonderful time to reflect on the gratitude and appreciation we all share for the work of our staff, both classified and certificated, who guide our students from their elementary school years to walking across the stage at graduation. These moments also symbolize the importance of our collective unity and partnership between students, staff, and families.
Celebrations and Recognition
SRVUSD has a proud tradition of excellence, both in our schools and throughout our community. Here are just a few recent awards and recognitions that highlight the outstanding achievements of our students, staff, and schools.:
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National Merit Scholars: Five SRVUSD students were awarded National Merit Scholarships in recognition of their exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies. Cal High-1 student award; Dougherty Valley-2 student awards; Monte Vista-2 student awards.
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California Distinguished School Recognition: Based on evaluations through the California School Dashboard, four SRVUSD schools have earned state recognition for their outstanding student outcomes, or their strong efforts in closing the achievement gap: Creekside Elementary, Greenbrook Elementary, John Baldwin Elementary, and Neil Armstrong Elementary.
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Del Amigo was named a 2025 Model Continuation School by the California Department of Education for its exceptional commitment to student success, innovation, and creating supportive learning environments.
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Del Amigo educator Carrie Metcalf was recognized as the 2025 California Continuation Education Association Teacher of the Year for Region 4.
- Neil Armstrong Elementary educator Dima Khoury has been named one of four Contra Costa County Finalists for 2025 Teacher of the Year.
Budget
As our community is aware, we have a significant fiscal challenge to address, and budget reductions are necessary. Last week, we were notified by the Contra Costa County Office of Education that they have formally “downgraded” our budget certification from positive to qualified.
The County’s notice provided their vantage point for what we’ve known locally since early this school year; not achieving the required level of budget reductions will increase deficit spending, creating a negative fund balance and the inability to meet the state-required reserves.
While the scope of proposed reductions for next year is regrettable, the budget reductions will allow us to maintain a positive certification and ensure we have local control over our decision-making and fiscal solvency. We are aligned with the County Office and are committed to incorporating the necessary reductions into our Budget Adoption this June, allowing for a positive certification.
Negotiations
On Thursday, April 22, the District and SRVEA met for our first session of mediation. The parties met again on Monday, April 28, for the second round of mediation, where a Tentative Agreement was reached. Earlier this week, we shared the announcement of the Tentative Agreement and a link to review the document as well.
As noted in that prior announcement, budget reductions present a significant challenge for our entire district, with all staff impacted by the outcomes. I am very grateful that a tentative agreement has been reached and would like to express our appreciation to all SRVEA and SRVUSD bargaining team members for their perseverance throughout this difficult process. It is counterintuitive to feel pleased about budget reductions, especially when nobody wants to reduce programs and services or eliminate jobs. However, this tentative agreement, pending final ratification, marks a pivotal moment for us to come together in partnership with the shared goal of supporting our students, even as we face the reality of doing so with fewer resources. It also represents a key opportunity to unite in advocating for changes in the state’s funding model for our district and securing more local revenue for SRVUSD.
End of Year Events
This week, it was an honor and a pleasure to join over 300 people at the SRVEF Night With the Stars, to celebrate the incredible work of the Education Foundation and all our affiliates. It is through this work, aligning our staff, our students, and our community, that we can keep our long-standing tradition of excellence alive for tomorrow’s students. I look forward to seeing many of you at the PTA Breakfast in a few weeks, which is just another example of an active and supportive community that creates a positive impact for our schools and students.
With only 22 days of school left, Graduations and Promotions are just around the corner, and I am truly excited to be at many of these events to celebrate our students, thank our staff, and engage with our community. It is hard to conceive that the school year is already nearing completion, yet it takes only a moment to realize how much our students have grown since August, how hard staff have worked for our students, and how much we can still accomplish in the last five weeks!
CJ Cammack
Superintendent
San Ramon Valley Unified
